1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to a device with a diaphragm arrangement and more particularly to such a device in which a diaphragm is secured in place between two retaining elements crimped together.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
European Patent EP 0 585 810 B1 shows a device for the diaphragm arrangement, having a first retaining element and a second retaining element. The diaphragm arrangement is fastened between the two retaining elements. An encompassing bead is formed onto the outer circumference of the diaphragm arrangement. The bead is located in an encompassing groove provided in the lower retaining element. In this arrangement it is disadvantageous that the encompassing bead formed onto the diaphragm arrangement increases the effort and expense of producing the diaphragm arrangement considerably, and in this diaphragm arrangement, a multi-layer construction of the diaphragm arrangement is practically impossible. Another disadvantage is that because of the encompassing groove, producing the lower retaining element requires considerably more effort and expense.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,825,835 shows a pressure valve with a diaphragm arrangement fastened between two retaining elements. There is an encompassing bead on the outer edge of the diaphragm arrangement. The bead rests in an encompassing groove provided on one of the two retaining elements. Because of the encompassing groove, it is very complicated to produce the retaining element that has the groove; in particular, the retaining element must be reshaped quite severely and made to assume a complicated shape. Because of the complicated shape of the retaining element, otherwise conventional materials cannot be used, and rapid wear of the stamping tool used in producing the retaining element must be feared.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,318,157 shows a device with a diaphragm arrangement fastened between two retaining elements. When the upper retaining element is crimped on, the outer edge of the diaphragm arrangement is bent over the outer edge of the lower retaining element. However, in this arrangement it must be feared that the diaphragm arrangement will become damaged at its fastening point during the crimping over of the retaining element. Because of the bending over of the diaphragm arrangement, diaphragms comprising multiple layers cannot be used.
German Published, Nonexamined Patent Application DE-OS 29 13 423 shows a device with a diaphragm arrangement fastened between two retaining elements. A sealing ring is additionally provided. Because the additional sealing ring is only very inadequately compartmentalized, subsidence and resultant leaks must be feared. Another factor is that the sealing ring cannot provide sealing directly in the region of the diaphragm fastened in place.
German Published, Nonexamined Patent Application DE-OS 29 24 796 shows a device with a sealing ring fastened to the crimped connection. The sealing ring is located in a sealing ring groove. Because of the requisite sealing ring groove, a diaphragm arrangement that is simple to produce cannot be used.
The device with a diaphragm arrangement according to the invention has the advantage over the prior art that at very little production effort and expense, especially when a crimped connection that is easy to manipulate is used, excellent fastening of the diaphragm arrangement and excellent sealing off of the crimped connection are attainable.
Another advantage is that because of the excellent restraint of the diaphragm arrangement in the region of the crimped connection, the component size of the device in the region of the crimped connection can be made rather small. In particular, only relatively slight wall thicknesses are required for the retaining elements without the need to fear impermissible deformation; or the hydraulic pressure inside the device can be chosen to be relatively high.
Often, the diaphragm arrangement has a surface comprising an elastomer on at least one side. The elastomer surface of the diaphragm arrangement, together with the elastomer material fastened in place in the compression chamber, has especially high frictional resistance; as a result, whenever the surface of the diaphragm arrangement, at least in the region of the elastomer material fastened in place, comprises an elastomer, an especially good, secure restraint of the diaphragm arrangement and thus an especially great and durable operating safety of the device are attained.